Can anyone recommend a good, compact whistle? I am leaning toward the Safety Whistle by Whistles for Life. Another consideration is the SHARX Whistle.

Jeanette Isabelle

I highly recommend the Sharx by Fox 40. I have four. I also highly recommend the Sonik Blast by Fox 40, which is shorter but fatter.

I don't think either of the whistles you listed fall into the "compact" category, but they're about as small as they can be for their performance.

Note the Safety Whistle you listed has a pea. I prefer pea-less because a pea may freeze up in freezing environments.

Huh? Do you have any documentation for that? The designs are different. Fox 40 (the maker of both) lists the Sharx as being 10 dB louder. Also, the Sharx has a rubberized casing that makes usage a bit more comfortable.

I've become a big fan of that site, have ordered a ton of stuff the past few months. Several shipments. 110% satisfied. I now take the fact that they carry a product as a credible endorsement.

http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/SignalingProducts,%20Starflash_Signal_Mirror,%20Fox_40,%20Emergency_Pocket_Strobe,%20ACR_Firefly_Plus.htm

According to their frequently asked questions, this is not a problem.

Jeanette Isabelle

I didn't see anything about the pea not freezing up in freezing environments. I've never seen any manufacturer make that claim.

Here's how it happens: You blow the whistle in freezing temperature; the condensation builds around the pea and eventually causes the pea to become too large or to stick to the whistle. Whether or not it's a real danger, a pea-less whistle does not have this problem. So, there are other options if you want peace of mind. I have pea whistles, but I don't carry them in the snow.

I believe there is difference between the pea swelling and the pea freezing to the whistle chamber. I don’t know if this is significant issue or not, but it is something to consider.

Pete

I would have to question the judgement of any company who sells the Burton Pocket "Survival Kit."

Jeanette Isabelle

I must strongly disagree with Izzy. The Sharx (Design: 2-chamber/4 resonators; pealess, Sound Power: 120 dB) is significantly louder than the Fox 40 Micro (Design: 3-chamber pealess, Sound Power: 110 dB).

The "useless bulk" allows for much larger inlet and chambers -- very loud. Per Fox 40, the Sharx has a 10dB advantage over the Micro, and I found it takes less effort to blow.

What whistle did Blast use to win drinks for loudest sound at the SHOT show?

You're going to wish you had it after you go through the time portal.



;-)

One thing I've found is that the more compact whistles might not always be a good choice for everyday carry due to their durability. I have been carrying a classic Fox 40 on my key chain for a while and while I wouldn't mind a more compact whistle, the classic's durability has kept it around.

I did have one of the Micro Safety Fox 40s on my key chain for a while, but after a month or two the plastic where the split ring goes through the whistle body came apart. I'm not sure what other compact models may have a stronger design, but that one didn't work for me. I've run into similar issues with carrying USB flash drives; the connector to the key ring has to be pretty tough to survive.

Of course I guess it all depends on how it was going to be carried or stored and how rough you are on it. I do still have a Micro Safety in a kit, but I don't carry one.

That said, you can make the classic Fox 40 a little bit slimmer by filing off the extra material from the sides (mentioned here). It is still a bit of a bigger whistle, but it's strong and the minor modification seems to help its size a little.

My player-character has the most innovative pocket size survival kit on her person, the PSP.

"'Emergency Pocket Survival Kit' from Brunton - credit card size, calling it a 'survival kit' is a misnomer." -- Doug Ritter

Jeanette Isabelle

For a long time now I have wanted to do real world experiments to compare how each model performs in the field. The goal is to order 5-10 models (two of each), separate the family by a known distance (~500m?) and do double-blind testing.
Has anybody done that yet?

I like the flat whistle sold by TOPS but if you watch you can find the exact same type of Coast Guard $5.99 whistles for a $1.00 at dive shops or even on peg board displays but you must watch and know what you are looking at.
Don't laugh to much at the Brunton Kit, your right its not but the compass does work and the cards can sometimes remind you of things you already know but have forgotten due to the stress of the moment.

Who would be traveling with just a Brunton "Survival Kit?"

Jeanette Isabelle

That's seems like a good idea. However, an issue I'm seeing is that some whistles may be preferable in certain environments, while others in different environments. For example, perhaps the higher frequency of a Fox 40 will cut through trees better, while a lower frequency of a Storm Whistle will sound louder on the open water. Perhaps a pea is preferable in certain environments. Who knows? Anyway, a comprehensive test in a wide array of different environments would be interesting to read.

Here's a testing of the Sharx Fox 40. I attended my nephews high school graduation in a gymnasium was filled with about 4,000 people. At the end, the crowd cheered so loudly that it felt right to cover your ears. At that moment, I pulled out my Sharx Fox 40 and blew it. The sound of the whistle was easily identifiable through all the noise. My nephew, who was about 200 feet away said afterward that he easily heard the whistle, and he wasn't particularly trying to hear it. By the way, using a whistle in a noisy crowd is foreseeable for survival purposes (signal a friend, prevent a crime, etc.).

Side note, I have seen many NBA referees use the traditional Fox 40 whistle (not the Sharx). Those whistles cut through the noise of the cheering crowd to be heard easily by the players. You can also hear the sound of those whistles coming through the television if you're watching at home. Well, the Sharx specifications indicate it's louder than those traditional Fox 40. If you used a Sharx to cheer at an NBA game, security would probably escort you out of the arena if you manage to stop the game. In fact, I've seen that happen to somebody who thought it would be funny. Jokes on him...LOL

I also have become a fan of this site, everything I have ordered has been very high quality and their service is outstanding.

It's more kit than most people carry.

Most of us on ETS probably don't just carry a Ritter PSK, either.

But we're abnormal. Or exceptional, depending on perspective.

From my understanding of Doug's review, that kit is more of a liability than an asset.

Jeanette Isabelle

I EDC an orange Fox 40 Sonic Blast. GREAT whistle!

A reasonable size, pealess, and loud a heck.

Layers, my dear, layers. Your "kit" should not be a singular package. It should have components spread through the layers of your setup: necklace, pockets, wallet, waist pouch, backpack, bush plane...

Which is fine but this is what Doug had to say about the survival instructions which he rated as "Poor."

These three credit card size waterproof plastic cards are about 50% medical instructions and a half of one card is wasted on the "floating compass." Impractical advice includes the ubiquitous solar still with the usual illustration. Instructions for water purification are to "boil water 20 minutes; let stand 30 minutes; strain,"" a waste of time, resources and energy a survivor might ill afford. The best that can be said of the cards is that they are waterproof.

What if the same idea was applied but with a better set of instruction and the "floating compass" removed? I think the best thing about the PSP is the survival instructions. What if all PSP instructions, not specific to the kit, were placed on waterproof plastic cards? Add the Fresnel Magnifying Lens and we have a kit fit for a wallet.

Jeanette Isabelle

The Brunton Survival Kit aside, I have to say that overall Bepreparedtosurvive.com has a lot of great products. I have enjoyed ordering from them in the past and will enjoy ordering from them in the future. As one of many examples, some of their ferro rod products are rather unique, like their ferro/mg devices. Also, they sell a blaze orange bandana that's genuinely blaze orange, no joking around, and still blaze orange after washing. I have also enjoyed ordering survival products from Countycomm.com. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH EITHER WEBSITE.

By the way, I don't plan on getting the Brunton survival kit. It looks like it's more for busy urban people who don't want to practice but who want to feel comfortable that they have something in their briefcase. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm just sayin'.

I have a couple of those blaze orange bandannas, as well. They scream ORANGE!

Jeanette -- it's pretty clear no one should stake their life on that kit. It may be nearly worthless (I don't own it). Are you going to dis an entire business because of that one product?

Seeing that one product in their store had raised concerns about their judgement. After all, what a store sells is a reflection on them. If a potential customer sees something which they know is junk, what are they to think about other products they are not familiar with? However, with so many people speaking so favorably about them, I went back. They have some innovative ideas and a product I found interesting.

Jeanette Isabelle

Fox 40 and storm whistles for me.

Lee

Answering a question asked earlier: Blast most likely used a Storm, Wind Storm, or Jetfire Whistle.

The night I won the shots at the Las Vegas bar I was carrying my ARC Res-Q whistle. The size vs. noise of this thing is amazing. It is about 2" long, 1" wide, and only 3/16" thick.
When I'm out in the woods I carry a Jet Scream whistle on my survival necklace, but I'm thinking of replacing it with the ARC Res-Q.

-Blast

Just as an aid to anyone googling it, that whistle is made by ACR not ARC; the website spelled it wrong. ACR is the PLB company.

John McCann here...

First of all, I would like to thank the many members who have had kind words about our site.

JeanetteIsabelle,

All products have varying opinions. I never base a decision on one person's opinion. Doug has his opinions about things, and I certainly respect those, so much so that I have touted his expertise in my new book due out this October. However, we all look at things differently. I have always thought the Brunton Survival Kit didn't deserve the name survival kit either, but then I didn't name it. I have always kept the compass and Fresnel and thrown out the remainder.

I agree with Doug about poor directions provided in the kit. However, I'm also a believer that if you need directions, you probably need some training. If you are sitting out in the wilderness in a survival situation, and you are basing your survival on the directions provided with your survival kit, you are probably in trouble. Having the devices are not nearly as important as knowing how to use them, and before you need them.

In my humble opinion, people should spend more time learning skills. As I said, earlier, I agree with Doug about the directions, but I'm also believe that if you need directions, you probably need some training. As Doug said about wasting time in regard to boiling water, "... a waste of time, resources, and energy a survivor might ill afford." You will never catch me without at least two compasses on me, and when I go into the field I have a professional mirror compass with me. But I still carry the floating compass in my wallet. I have found that something is better than nothing, and if that was all I had (unlikely but possible) it would be better than nothing. If I didn't have enough water to float a small disc, I probably would be in more trouble than trying to navigate. If the compass is being used as your primary you are already unprepared. I also know people who carry a good compass, but don't know how to use it. I'm not sure what is worse, a good compass with no skills, or a bad compass with good skills. There are a lot of variables.

In regard to our selection of products, we do try to offer those products, again in our humble opinion, that are worthy of survival. Our opinion sometimes run different than others. Many sites sell the UST Sparky, one hand fire starter. When we got a few examples from the manufacturer, we broke the first one in about 10 minutes, having it fall apart. We also didn't like the warning in the instructions "CAUTION! Do not spark more than three consecutive times as hot sparks can gather and damage the bar holder." Just didn't sound like a survival tool to us. We are not saying the product is not good, only that we made the decision not to sell it. Many sites do, and many people like it. The same goes with many other products out there. We have had many strong discussions with manufacturers who want us to sell their whole line, and we only want to sell a few products that we have selected. You will note that, besides the Brunton Kit (which has been discontinued by the way), we only sell kits we make or were designed by Doug, even though some of our suppliers make other kits.

The bottom line is we do our best. Our philosophy has never been to buy a ready-made kit, but to make your own. Our site was originated just for that purpose. We only started making kits after some of our customers convinced us to do so. No matter what your choice in kits, we advise everybody to get some training and skills before they are needed.

Respectfully,
John McCann

I have several of the Fox micro whistles in various kits, on all the key chains and on my neck lanyard. They are small enough to pack into kits and comfortable on either a key chain or lanyard as well as being durable and loud. They work for me and most importantly I always have at least one with me.

Im sorry but isnt that alot like the ones that seemed to fail constantly in alot of the Survival kit reviews?

John, I want to thank-you for your informative post. I too hold Doug Ritter in high regard; however, I do not agree with him on everything.

Jeanette Isabelle

I agree with John McCann, the Brunton is useful, the fresnel lens and the little floating compass are functional. I carried both while in the military as an easy to conceal backup.

When it comes to whistles, there are many that are loud enough to be recommended and for sure, consider durability. A broken whistle is not much good in an emergency. I personally carry the ACR mini, it is loud enough, durable and compact. In tests it rates well in all areas.

You may want to take a look at this test data, it does not include all whistles and of course, misses the newest ones. Still, excellent information.

http://www.woodsmonkey.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:who-gives-a-toot-the-whistle-tests-are-in&catid=66:navigation-and-signalling-gear&Itemid=79

As for "Survival Kits" in general, I have never seen one that has every item you need for every situation. Some have more items than others but across the board, no one kit has everything for everyone. I consider some pocket kits a token "survival kit" at best and definately no substitute for training and experience.

I haven't seen this. Do you have some links? Google didn't turn up anything but good reviews.
Thanks!
-Blast

True. I consider my EDC better suited for me and my environment (Dallas, TX) than even the most innovative survival kit I have owned or seen, the original PSP.

Jeanette Isabelle

Does anyone own both the FOX40 Miro and the ARC and can give me a comparison?

I have the FOX40 and I am noticing a lot of redundancy on this site. Is it a good idea to have redundant whistles?

Jeanette Isabelle

I've been wearing the same mini Fox 40 on a chain on my neck for at least five years. Still really loud and no problems.

I don't wear it on my key ring though. Things on my key ring get too beat up. Screwed up a good mini squeeze light that way.

HJ

Whistles are light and quite cheap. I can guarantee that they make the task of SAR folks considerably easier if you ever need assistance.

Redundancy is usually something I abhor, but whistles are a bit of an exception.

If you mean redundancy as in multiple whistles, yes, that's a good idea. On my hiking backpacks I attached a whistle on each of the main zippers. Why not? It is light, inexpensive and serves a practical purpose.

If you want inexpensive redundancy, then I recommend these fake Fox 40 whistles that are just as loud as the real thing:
http://www.amazon.com/Price-10-Pieces-Pe...4448&sr=8-2

(Do an Internet to find an even lower price elsewhere.)

I mean "redundant" as in a whistle in different locations. Example: One in my PSP, one on my key chain and one on a lanyard around my neck.

Jeanette Isabelle

When I'm hiking I have a Fox micro and a small light on a break-a-way lanyard around my neck and another whistle and small light in my PSK, so yes redundancy. However, the Fox miro whisles are under $9 for a two-pack so I sure wouldn't go for anything fake and have it not work when you needed it. A good whisle carries much futher than yelling with lots less effort. The point of mulitple items is you could get separated from your pack or even break-a-way lanyard, then you would have the whisle in the kit which hopefully is in a pocket.

I understand, but the GOGO whistle I posted is nearly indistinguishable from a Fox 40. There's nothing magical about Fox 40. You just trust the brand.

I have about ten Fox 40 whistles of different flavors. However, if I want an inexpensive whistle to attach to whatever, then I'll go with a GOGO. Also, if I give out a whistle, it won't be my Fox 40 whistle. It's almost a guarantee the whistle will be lost because I'm basically giving the whistle to somebody who doesn't fully appreciate its importance. (Otherwise, they would have brought a whistle of their own.) I don't know about you, but I literally do have to plan to give gear away. That's unavoidable for me.

I have a steel whistle on my key ring because it is bulletproof -- heavy, but close to indestructible. The louder, bulkier but not quite indestructible (polycarbonate/co-molded elastomer) Fox 40 Sharx stays in the back-pack.

When it comes to whistles, I don't particularly care if they are compact or not as the size of most whistles is small enough already.

I favor the Fox 40 whistles as I get them for free (courtesy of our local .gov) and also hand them out to others. I always carry two whistles when I am out. One around the neck on a lanyard and the second whistle is in the psk or pack as a backup.

I have the ACR,Fox 40 and the Fox Micro (from a AMK PSP) and prefer the ACR.I had an upper resperatory infection and couldn't blow effectively on either Fox whistle but the ACR I could.In a survival situation you could be stressed,paniced,tired all of which could make you sick.
To me ease of use equals two thumbs up.Additionally their shape lends them to packing well in a kit...

BOATMAN
John

Boatman -- try the Fox 40 Sharx. It has an opening like a Big Mouth Bass; getting good volume is near effortless IMO.

Tried the Sharx.Too big and to bulky for my liking.JMHO...

BOATMAN
John

{ Note: if planning a lot of testing, consider hearing protection. I've seen referee comments about ear-ringing attributed to whistle use. In an accompanying photo from the "2008 Part 2" test below, the tester was plugging both ears - good idea!}

This first "real-world test" was done by a SAR group in 2006 in the New Zealand Kaimai and Pirongia "bush"(forest) comparing 9 noise-making devices (including yelling).

2006 New Zealand SAR Group Whistle Test (Scroll down to "Whistles"

If you read the full article linked above, you'll see that the forest made a huge difference - the testers said that every one of these whistles were audible at 600+ meters in the open, but as low as 138 meters in the forest.

See the bar chart/table at the link above, but the highlights for me were:

• 410 meters: Yelling
• 400 meters: Acme Thunderer ( the original London police whistle) (Photo looks like Acme Thunderer 58.5 which sounds like this)
• 400 meters: Storm Whistle
• 270 meters: Windstorm (Storm's smaller whistle, but audible over only half the area of the Storm in this case)
• 238 meters: Fox 40 (Fox makes so many versions, but the Fox 40 Classic sounds like this. )
• 138 meters: Thin Lifejacket Whistle

Note that the NZ SAR result for the Storm whistle in forest ( 400 meters = 0.249 miles) is essentially identical to the 402 meters = 1/4 mile claimed by Storm for the Storm whistle in forest on the Storm Whistle FAQ

The Storm FAQ above claims 400 meters in forest, 800 meters over water. Since Storm cites 800 meters over open land for the (quieter) Windstorm, this suggests that range over open land is longest. This would be consistent with the Acme history page, which cites a range of 1 mile for the original Acme whistle in the initial (1883) testing by the London police.

That does highlight the importance of testing for the expected application. The best whistles for forest, desert and sea could well be different, and different frequencies are likely to be absorbed at different rates. Storm thinks their choice of 3150 Hz is particularly effective.

Another factor is the hearing of the listener - in this whistle test, the kids thought the Fox 40 was louder than the Nexus Whistle, the adult thought the Nexus whistle louder than the Fox 40. He speculated it could be due to his hearing loss in the high frequencies.

Another point touched on in other posts is the difficulty of blowing the whistle. If you are going to be blowing a whistle every five minutes in the hopes of being heard, for days, you want something that is easy to blow.

This 2008 Part I 15 whistle test tested measured decibels, not actual humans at range, {Though at the bottom it mentioned an unintended real-world verification of 1/4 mile range through forest} but did use both adult and child volunteers, and includes a rating of how hard the whistle was to blow. This test included the thin ACR (Blast's whistle) and JetScream, but not the Storm.

2008 Whistle Test Part 2 - 12 more items Although the followon test did include the Storm, the flat TOPS KNIVES whistle did best for loudness, at 123.6/117 dB for adult/child. The TOPS whistle also got a "very easy to blow" rating. Between the sound level, ease of blowing, and compactness, that one might be worth another look.

One contender in the 2008 Pt 2 test was an adult human yell: 110 dB try 1, 107 dB try 2, 104 dB try three - affected voice, larygnitis next morning. Get a whistle!


This August 2002 "Whistle Wise" Test in Backpacker Magazine said it included the real world tests you suggest: "search and rescue volunteers whistling systematically in different terrain", but alas the results were summarized to a few qualitative comments. The Storm and Windstorm took first and 2nd place for range, the Acme Thunderer 660 was top for ease of blowing, and they rated the Fox40 Mini well above the Classic Fox40 for ease of blowing by children.

This page at Acme discusses the points of:

• How hard is the whistle to blow? (Blowrate) - important for endurance, weakened lungs
• How loud is the whistle? (Blowsound) - certainly helpful in getting it heard
• What frequencies do the whistle emit? (Blowtone) - likely a key factor in the effects of the "bush vs. open" results above.

This interesting plot at Acme points out the the output level of a whistle can actually decrease as you blow harder, at some levels, then increase as you blow harder yet.

"Shorty" says he tested the Storm, Windstorm, Fox 40, and the full Acme line, and found the Acme Tornado 635 plastic pealesss whistle to be the loudest, but he doesn't describe how he tested them. Acme's description does claim it is their loudest whistle, but comments that it requires hard blowing - not a good feature in a SAR whistle that you may need to blow for hours in a weakened condition.

Here's a five whistle test on Youtube - apparent loudness at 50 yards. The JetScream did best, but none of the other contenders were particularly loud. The Adventure medical Kits flat whistle did not do well here.

Excellent and the audio links to the various whistles clued me in as to why I don't like some of the Fox 40 line -- hearing loss.

I recently ordered a Fox 40 Classic to compare with my Fox 40 Sharx and Fox 40 mini from a DR PSP.

I wonder how much hearing loss a typical SAR member has. . .

Anyone know how the Sharx compares to the Storm?

The Fox Comparison Table of the Fox Whistles has the Sharx at 120 dB and the Storm whistle brochure claims 130 dB for the Storm.

Getting 130 dB out of the Storm may take some work, though. The 2008 Whistle Test Part 2 commented that, while the Storm was "easy to blow", it "required more airflow". The Storm results in that test were 120.6 dB adult average, 111.6 dB child average, 102.6 dB "tester with lung condition average".

Since that test rated other whistles "very easy to blow" vs. the Storm "easy to blow", it seems to me some other whistles might come out louder when blowing them for hours. Since the TOPS KNIVES whistle was rated "very easy to blow" and 123.6 dB adult average in the test above, and "field test 126 dB" on the TOPS site, it seems worth exploring.

One blowing tip for the Sharx is to wrap your lips around it, rather than pressing them against it.

Since the Fox Sharx did not come out until 2010, it was not in the 2008 test.

With the Sharx, I've seen several comments ( Amazon review , SOCAL Hiker Lady Review ) about ear pain/ringing, and recommendations to cover your ears when blowing them. (Something to consider with all of these loud whistles).

Yes, but my question on how the Sharx compares to the Storm was more about frequency than decibels. The Storm's 3150 Hz seems to be a good frequency.

Yep, I keep foam earplugs with the Sharx.

I don't own a Sharx, and I didn't find a sound recording of the Sharx on the Web. If someone can provide me either, I can analyze it. Alternatively, someone can do what I did for this post.

On my iMac, I downloaded the freeware "FFT Analyzer", which plots a frequency response of whatever the iMac microphone "hears".

From the sound samples in my previous post, and some whistles I have, I make the peak energy frequencies: (many of these are "multitone" whistles):

• 1700,2300 Hz for the Fastex 72 x 20 x 15 mm and 7g whistle from this Youtube recording
• 2200 Hz for the Acme Thunderer 58.5 (from web recording)
• 2700 Hz for the Storm (mine)
• 2800 Hz for the ACR flat whistle (main tone)(mine)
• 3100 Hz for my "cheap aluminum keychain cylinder REI whistle"(mine)
• 3500 Hz for the Acme Tornado 636 from this web recording.
• 3650 Hz for the Fox Rescue Howler (loudest tone)(mine)
• 4300 Hz for Fox 40 Classic (from web recording)

Since I didn't get the expected 3150 Hz from the Storm, I'm not sure what is going on here. Could be my software/microphone, could be the unit, don't know.

I also found this nice German survival whistle frequency test {link through Google Translate} on the web (with no Storm or Sharx, alas) indicating a peak for the Fox 40 Classic in the 3200-4000 Hz range, a bit different than my results.

It does seem that the Fox frequencies are on the high side, and the NZ results suggest that low frequencies are better for forest penetration.

rafowell, agree with the Fox 40 mini being on the high side; the Sharx has a lower pitch but just how much lower. I may buy a Storm just to compare it to the Fox 40 Sharx, Fox 40 Classic, Fox 40 Mini and Atwood SS whistle on my keyring.

The ACR seems interesting; I'd like to try one, since the form factor is very handy. I have a bunch of the Fox 40 minis and they're okay as backup whistles, but aren't quite as loud as I'd like, and I prefer a lower pitch. I carry a Storm when I really need to make noise.

I'm surprised at the good reviews of the JetScream. I bought one and it's not loud at all -- very disappointed. Maybe I got a dud?

For me it's all about pitch. I can't hear some whistles with high ratings. The Fox 40 Mini that some love just seems anemic to me.

[quote=Russ
I wonder how much hearing loss a typical SAR member has. . .
[/quote]

At the quoted decibel levels, hearing protection is definitely called for. That poses some interesting problems, like hearing the much fainter response.........

Rafowell made a good point in one of his posts (which I pasted below.) People have to keep in mind that there is no best whistle for every application/environment and that every person hears sounds and frequencies differently. What you think is the best whistle for your hearing does not necessarily mean it will be for SAR when they are searching for you. I carry Fox 40 Classic whistles and do not fret that it may not be the best whistle for my hearing or my environment, otherwise I would be carrying a dozen different whistles around just in case..

That does highlight the importance of testing for the expected application. The best whistles for forest, desert and sea could well be different, and different frequencies are likely to be absorbed at different rates. Storm thinks their choice of 3150 Hz is particularly effective.

Another factor is the hearing of the listener - in this whistle test, the kids thought the Fox 40 was louder than the Nexus Whistle, the adult thought the Nexus whistle louder than the Fox 40. He speculated it could be due to his hearing loss in the high frequencies.

The ACR is very thin at 1/4 inch (1.0" x 2.0" x .25") - I keep the one I tested in my EDC neck pouch under my shirt. Here's the spec page for the ACR WW-3/Survival Res-Q Whistle. In an earlier post, Blast said he liked his (though he misspelled ACR in that post). The ACR is widely listed online in the $1.35-$3 price range.
Given your cited criteria, you might also look at the whistle from TOPS knives.

• TOPS is just as thin as the ACR WW-3/Res-Q Whistle, though longer (1.1"x2.75"x0.25") vs. (1.0"x2.0"x0.25")
• TOPS was much louder in the 2008 test (ACR was 109/111 dB adult/child, TOPS was 123.5/117.3 dB adult/child )
• TOPS had a lower pitch ( 1700 Hz in this YouTube video vs. 2800 Hz "live", per FFT Analyzer.
• Both TOPS and ACR were rated "vary easy to blow" in the 2008 tests.

Click on the photo here to see the TOPS in top, bottom, and side views, or
view this Youtube video to see it from all angles.
The TOPS Knives whistle page includes a pretty reasonable direct order price for qty 5 (shipping included),

I have no personal experience with them. The JetScream was measured at 109.3/112 dB adult/child in the 2008 whistle test, Part 1, pretty much at par with the ACR, though the JetScream was rated a bit hard to blow.

Thanks, rafowell. Excellent info.

They don't seem to know the Storm is a pea (not pealess) whistle.

Also, I'm fully not buying that yelling/screaming carries the farthest. The loudest I can yell will not come anywhere close to carrying as far as my Storm whistle.

Yes, the Storm pea is a little subtle.
Your results aren't necessarily in conflict with theirs.

They were in a heavily forested environment, which they said reduced the whistle range considerably from what it was over clear land, and seemed (based on my quick frequency testing) to favor lower pitched noise.

I would expect the Storm to outdistance the yell/scream over clear land, based on the 2008 whistle test dB results, at least.

There are lots of other variables with the human voice (and the whistle, for that matter): timbre, volume, listener hearing loss (both permanent, and temporary from whistle testing).

In any event, the NZ folks were recommending a whistle, not a yell. They didn't state why, but the classic reason is that your voice wears out very quickly with loud yelling.

From my summary of the 2008 Part 2 whistle test report:

"One contender in the 2008 Pt 2 test was an adult human yell: 110 dB try 1, 107 dB try 2, 104 dB try three - affected voice, larygnitis next morning. Get a whistle!"

(In a separate post, that tester (Kevin) mentioned having laryngitis for two days afterwards).

I have a ACR, Fox40 Micro and Sharx...the Sharx sounds a bit louder and has a lower pitch than the Micro(I covered my ears). The Sharx is slightly easier to blow, but its about twice as thick. Both fox's can be submerged and blown immediately, as the water clears. The ACR is about 1/3 the thickness of the sharx, and is loud, with 2 distinct pitches. Both fox's are louder. The ACR is easiest to blow. The ACR does not clear well. It takes quite a bit of air to clear and has a bit of water in it that makes the pitch higher. It has to be shaken to get rid of the water.

Interesting. Thanks for the field tests. And welcome aboard.

Thanks... I don't know if this was referenced before but http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9Gn8uZNX-c

All of his tests show the whistles to be around 94 db, which is far below what the manufactures claim...

How does a sharx compare with a sonik blast and storm?

I have the Fox Sharx, the Fox Sonik Blast and the Storm. The following review is subjective, as I have only blown each whistle ONCE without ear protection.

The Sharx and Sonik Blast are about identical loudness. The Sonik Blast has a smaller footprint. However, the Sharx has a friendlier shape and is a work of art to me. These whistles have approximately 2 volumes: silent and screeching loud.

The Storm is the loudest and seems to allow more control over loudness. However, the Storm is huge and bigger than it looks in Internet pics. The Storm has a pea that provides an oscillation sound, which is absent in the Fox whistles. The pea may be a concern if you are in frigid conditions because the pea might freeze. I don't know because I don't take my Storm into freezing conditions. Actually, the Storm is so big that I find myself not taking the Storm anywhere.

In my everyday carry bag is a Sharx. Around my neck when I'm snowboarding is a Sharx. Around my neck when I'm biking is a Sharx.

Thanks very much... which is the easiest to blow? Its not going to do you any good if its not with you when you need it.

Interesting how the Storm is louder because the db levels claim otherwise. 120+ vs 106.

From where did you get that 160 db number?

The maker of Storm claims 130 dB.
http://www.stormwhistles.com/storm.html

The maker of Sonik Blast and Sharx claims 120 dB.
http://www.fox40world.com/index.cfm?pagepath=PRODUCTS/Fox_40_Sonik_Blast&id=15806
http://www.fox40world.com/index.cfm?pagepath=PRODUCTS/Fox_40_Sharx&id=15861

I just blew all three. They all seem about equally easy to blow. The Storm has a lower frequency and an oscillation because of the pea. Depending on the environment, the Storm may or may no carry farther. The Storm is a heck of a whistle. I just wish it wasn't so big.

Sorry I meant 106...
http://www.stormwhistles.com/faq.html

The table shows it at around 106-107

I know the Fox's are all around 120.

That chart shows the loudness "at a determined flow rate and at a given distance from the receiver". That indicates to the chart is not showing the maximum volume, but rather a volume at a consistence flow rate for all the whistles tested for fairness. Again, that same site on top of that same page you linked claims 130 dB for the Storm.

When I just blew all three, the Storm definitely has a bit more beef in the volume. Again, however, it's a lower frequency and oscillating, which may or may not be better for a particular environment.

We are talking about categories of genius. All three whistles are extremely high performing. My preference came down to which one I would actually carry after the novelty of the whistles wore off.

I like the design of the fox micro that comes in Doug’s kit. And have one on my neck lanyard and key chain in addition to the kits. It’s plenty loud and most importantly it’s small, doesn’t catch or snag on things and easy to carry. To my way of thinking get one that you will always carry.

I missed the top part about it being 130 db... its nowhere in the text. I like the sharx because its powerful but smaller than a storm... Has anybody asked you why you wear a whistle? How do you respond?

I carry a Fox 40 howler like the one in the PSP on my keychain on my hip and Im CONSTANTLY asked by everyone I meet why I carry it. After the first few times of attempting to explain the full reason to carrying a whistle i got tired of it and just reply "Im into survival" People usually go "oh ok" and leave it at that. Let them think what they want of me! They are the ones who are always asking me in the end for my EDC items when they need um cuz they carry nothing or just junk!

I never get asked! Key chain is usually in my pocket or sometimes in the bag and unless it's tee shirt time in the summer the neck lanyard isn't visible. I live in W Washington state so tee shirt weather is short!

My reply? "It's for emergencies"

I like "It's for emergencies". If there comes a need, the are going to remember you and wish they did the same.

I never get asked. I have an all black Fox40 Sharx. With black paracord (or black bootlace), it's barely noticeable and just looks like a boring lucky charm. Also, my normal way of carrying a whistle is inside may man bag, which I always carry.

When I'm out biking, hiking, snowboarding, etc., I use a brighter whistle. A whistle is one of the least weird things to carry there.

Try: "Because 'put your lips together and blow' doesn't mean what it used to."

(Seriously, there are a million of these.)

There's another thread in the ETS archives that contains this gem. I can't remember who it came from but I've got it bookmarked.

http://acmewhistles.ca/products

Old thread wake up...



I'm not buying the TOPS whistle solely because of the neon yellow ad on top of the whistle. I'm not sure what TOPS is thinking. I sent them an inquiry to see if they sell the whistle without the ad.

i agree ireckon!

the TOPS whistle is the same one that Victorinox once sold in their SwissChamp kits (and as a replacement part) WITHOUT any printing on it.

called the Victorinox Swiss Army Distress Whistle, Accessory Part #30481

a google search shows them still available on-line for as little as 59 cents each, all the way up to a ridicules $2.95 plus $7 shipping.

(fyi - they retailed for $2 when SAK still offered them in their catalog)

Unless I'm missing something, I'm not convinced the TOPS whistle is unique.

I have quite a few (apparently identical) flat three-chambered whistles and they've come from a variety of sources, including some with boating safety or advertising messages. They're generally referred to as marine safety whistles. Boating stores/departments sometimes carry them. Ebay sellers have them too.

The flat whistles I have aren't necessarily the loudest (my big Storms easily blow them away, as do the new Fox whistles).

But they're handy in jacket and pants pockets. And most importantly, my dogs respond to them better than anything else I've tried.

Thanks, I didn't know it can be found on the generic market.



Yeah, when I'm going pocket-carry only, I find myself leaving behind one of my fantastic whistles. I want to see if this flat whistle doesn't annoy me too much. The best whistle is the one I have with me.

I pocket carry a SOL Slim Rescue Howler. It isn't the loudest but is compact. Being compact makes it easier to carry (and more likely to be on me when/if needed.

I used to carry a SOL Rescue Howler with a metal slip ring. I found that the slip ring rips off the whistle since there is a weak joint right where the slip ring stresses the plastic. After two failures, I gave up on them.

Thanks.

Conway Yee

I just bought 2 of the Victorinox (or TOPS) whistles from eBay for $4.20 shipped. I'll see how that goes for a slim whistle.



Wherever there's plastic, you might try replacing the keyring with a dress shoelace or similar. Actually, instead of key rings, I use dress shoe laces everywhere - lighter, less bulky.

The REI Tri-Power Safety Whistle is simple and it works. Easy to blow and plenty loud.

Gotta go with the advice here about quality.

I got 2 of the ACR and one the bottom fell off out of the package,so I glued it back.So much for the 'name' brand whistle

I ordered the fox fakes,havent arrived yet,but I think we might be paying for a name when a cheap plastic whistle really is just a cheap plastic whistle.

BTW,thanks for putting whistles on my radar,both keychains have the acr now,like the form factor,loud enough to blow out my ears.

EDIT-The 10 pack of fake fox arrived,they are LOUD!Louder than the ACR IMO (ears only,no db reading). Dont have a fox to compare it to,but seems solid enough and very loud,easy to blow.I call it a winner.But Im a whistle novice so bear that in mind,just my opinion.

Dougwalkabout, you and I may be the only folks on this forum who know that line. I use the scene as a trivia question among friends who say they're "really into" old movies. I ask them to ID the sexiest scene ever filmed in which the lovers do not touch, remain fully dressed, make no gestures suggesting sex and use no profanity, but is smokin'hot . It stumps most people. Did you know she was only 19 when that film was shot?

Or maybe the joke just wasn't all that funny. You can't win 'em all. But thanks for the nod. And it's a great trivia question BTW.

-Doug, B&W movie buff. Death to colourization!

After playing with both and reading more,found Im not the only person thats had an ACR fail at the lanyard/bottom section just falling off.

The fox 40 knockoffs seem very nice.Recommend those highly,big bang for the buck